


Survivor's Guilt

by misterherowrites



Category: Original Work, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of kidnapping, Nightmares, mentions of child death, mentions of human trafficking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27041590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misterherowrites/pseuds/misterherowrites
Summary: Not a single day goes by where he doesn't think about Lucien. He wonders if he's in school, if he's happy, if he still wants a pet rat someday…if he's even still alive.Acelin knows the statistics. Lucien has been missing for nearly eight years. The chances of him returning safe and sound are slim to none, but a chance is a chance. Acelin isn't going to give up on his brother until the day he dies.
Relationships: Edward Thorn/Acelin Allard





	Survivor's Guilt

**Author's Note:**

> please be nice to me in the comments, i rarely write anymore and i especially don't write on my own (i prefer rping) so this is kinda sloppy :(
> 
> acelin and edward are characters from an ace attorney fan game my friends and i have been working on since mid 2019! acelin is a detective and edward is a prosecutor. they're very happily married <3
> 
> NOTE: this fic takes place prior to them getting married!
> 
> acelin: https://toyhou.se/5291343.acelin-allard-thorn
> 
> edward: https://toyhou.se/4673397.edward-
> 
> lucien: https://toyhou.se/5292833.lucien-allard

_ He's right there. _

_  
Lucien is right there, and yet no matter how hard Acelin tries, he can never reach him. His voice is never loud enough to grab his attention. He strains until his muscles are screaming, and just when his fingertips are about to hook onto the back of his brother's shirt… _

  
Acelin's eyes fly open, and he's met with almost complete darkness, the only light sources being the bright red "3:08" illuminated on the alarm clock on the nightstand, and the sliver of moonlight shining through the space between the curtains draped in front of the bedroom window. He glances around, eyes adjusting to the near pitch black, then sits up with a shaky sigh. He rubs at his eyes and feels dampness on his cheeks.

  
Not a single day goes by where he doesn't think about Lucien. He wonders if he's in school, if he's happy, if he still wants a pet rat someday…if he's even still alive.

  
Acelin knows the statistics. Lucien has been missing for nearly eight years. The chances of him returning safe and sound are slim to none, but a chance is a chance. Acelin isn't going to give up on his brother until the day he dies.  
  
  
He moves to kick his share of the blanket off of him so he can get over the cold sweat drying on his skin, and he feels guilty as Edward stirs next to him, on high alert from all the movement.   
  
  
"Lin?" Edward's sleepy voice is low and gravelly, and it serves to calm Acelin's nerves down just a little bit. "What's wrong?"   
  
  
"Nothing, I'm fine," Acelin replies, but the lump in his throat making his voice crack gives him away, and he silently curses himself. Edward moves to sit up, and Acelin watches him through his peripheral. Even in the dark, he can see the bright white bedhead his boyfriend is sporting, and even in his current emotional state, he can't help but mentally note how endearing it is.   
  
  
"I've known you long enough to know that's not true," Edward shoots back, scooting a little closer. "You can tell me anything, you know."

  
Acelin hesitates, then turns so he can hug his boyfriend tight around his waist and bump his forehead against his clavicle. Edward smells like coffee and fresh linens and  _ home _ , and it helps dislodge the lump in his throat so he can speak.  
  
  
"Do you think I'll ever find Lucien?" His voice is soft as one arm wraps around him and the other rubs soothingly at his back. "I mean, I've always tried to stay optimistic, but for fuck's sake, it's been eight years. What if he's buried in a shallow grave somewhere, or being trafficked? All because I was too slow ---"  
  
  
"Hey." Edward cuts him off, hands now grabbing his face and forcing him to look his boyfriend in the eye. "You don't know that. Whatever the case may be, none of that is your fault, okay? You're doing everything you can to find him, liebling. Not many people would change their entire career path for the sake of someone else, much less to a career as dangerous as yours. And wherever he is, I'm sure if he finds out about that, he'll be grateful. He'll know at least one person never gave up on him."  
  
  
Somewhere during Edward's speech, tears well up in Acelin's eyes again, and he leans into the touch when two gloved thumbs swipe under his eyes to dry them. He sniffles and leans back in to hug Edward again, nuzzling his face into his neck. Edward gently lowers them both to lay back down again before his hands go to work, one rubbing circles into Acelin's back and the other scratching gently at his scalp.  
  
  
"Let's get some rest, okay?" Edward suggests, and Acelin nods, too emotionally and physically exhausted to bring himself to speak. He lets himself be lulled back to sleep by the  _ bump-bump, bump-bump, bump-bump _ of Edward's heart against his ear.


End file.
